SalariesMetro area
Vocational nurse pay in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Half of the 3,290 licensed vocational and practical nurses here earn more than $95,320 ($45.83 an hour) and half earn less. Among the 393 metro areas the federal government publishes, this median ranks 1st highest.
The whole distribution
$77,320$95,320 median$113,220
| Percentile | A year | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $77,320 | Entry level, or a slow local market |
| 25th | $84,000 | Early career |
| 50th | $95,320 | The middle of the market |
| 75th | $100,950 | Experienced, or a demanding setting |
| 90th | $113,220 | Top of the local scale |
That median sits $15,570 above the California figure of $79,750. The occupation is thinner on the ground here than nationally, at 0.70 times the national concentration.
Approved programs in this area
- Carrington College, San Jose$38,096
- Unitek College, San Jose$36,352
Programs are placed by the campus city the board publishes, so a school whose record gives no city will not appear here even if it is nearby. Search the full directory.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA: common questions
- How much does an LVN make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
- The median is $95,320 a year, or $45.83 an hour, across the 3,290 licensed vocational and practical nurses counted in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. Half earn more than that and half earn less. The figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- What do the best paid vocational nurses in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA earn?
- The ninetieth percentile is $113,220 a year and the tenth is $77,320, a spread of $35,900 between the top and bottom tenth of the same licence in the same place. The survey reports the spread but not what drives it for any one nurse.
- Where does San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA rank for vocational nurse pay?
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the 1st highest median of the 393 metro areas the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes for this occupation. The rank is on the median wage alone and takes no account of what it costs to live there.
- Is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA above or below the California median?
- The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA median of $95,320 sits $15,570 above the California median of $79,750. Both come from the same survey and the same release, so it is a like-for-like comparison.
- Do these figures cover LPNs as well as LVNs?
- Yes. They are a single federal occupation, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. California and Texas call the licence vocational and the other 48 states call it practical, but it is the same NCLEX-PN exam, the same scope of practice and the same wage series.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025